Sunday, November 23, 2008
Amazing Grace
Fort Worth diners rejoice because the much anticipated Grace Restaurant opened its doors this week and it is fabulous!! I was lucky enough to visit on two separate occasions - once for cocktails with the ladies and once for dinner with my father and husband. The vibrant energy of the well-designed restaurant can be felt immediately upon entering. To the left is the dining area and to the right, is the bar area. Both very spacious and inviting and both with separate personalities. The decor is modern yet the wood tones incorporated throughout the restaurant keep it from feeling modern to the point of being over the top. Grace is located on the ground floor of the Carter Burgess building with the entrance near the intersection of 6th and Main.
Both the restaurant and the bar were buzzing last Wednesday night - only three days after opening. I, along with four colleagues, enjoyed cocktails on the comfortably chic patio that faces Main Street. There was a great selection of cocktails and I chose the pear martini ($12) which was fantastic! Made with Grey Goose pear vodka and topped with a splash of champagne, how could a girl go wrong! When we got hungry, we moved inside to sit in the bar because food is not served on the patio. We tried the kobe pigs in a blanket ($9), the sloppy joe sliders ($9) and the
eggplant and parmesan croquettes. Of the three, I preferred the kobe pigs in a blanket. Downtown Fort Worth has needed a chic, sophisticated destination for martinis or a glass of wine and now it has one. Think Sex and the City, baby!
I returned to Grace for dinner on Saturday night and once again, there was an energy felt when we arrived that I have not felt at other Fort Worth restaurants. Our server, Jaime, did a great job of explaining the menu and stressing that there were no rules. She made our dining experience seem adventurous rather than formal or stuffy. We started with a jumbo lump crab cake ($15). I appreciated that it was served with a whole grain mustard rather than remoulade sauce. Although we did not order the braised bacon appetizer ($10), I got to sample it and it was delicious. It was remarkably tender and flavorful.
Next, I enjoyed the lobster and roasted pumpkin bisque ($9) and my father enjoyed the organic chicken noodle soup ($7). Both were very good choices, especially in light of the chilly weather. FWJoey opted for a salad - the Iceberg “Wheel” ($8) - which was loaded with bleu cheese. If you love bleu cheese, this is the salad for you, but if you do not, skip it. FWJoey loved it and commented that the quality of the bleu cheese was something special.
For entrees, FWJoey had the 8oz filet ($29) topped with bleu cheese ($4) - yes, more bleu cheese! ARdad had the 8oz filet topped with cognac peppercorn sauce ($2) and I had the Meyer Ranch Natural Filet ($34) with espresso horseradish sauce ($2) served on the side. I sampled all the steaks and thought mine was the best because it seemed more flavorful. It was cooked exactly right and I savored every bite. I found that the horseradish sauce was unnecessary so it was hardly touched.
Our side items included the mac and cheese ($8) and the ricotta dumplings ($7). Though both were very good, the stand out were the dumplings. They were light, yet loaded with rich flavors that melted in your mouth. The mac and cheese was made with rotini noodles and a variety of white cheeses, topped with panko crumbs. It did not taste like your traditional mac and cheese, which is fine with me but may not satisfy some diners. For dessert, we shared the red velvet cake. The cake was firm, yet moist and the cream cheese filling was smooth perfection. What a great way to end a great meal.
I think Adam Jones has accomplished with Grace, what Tim Love hoped to accomplish with Duce which is an upscale, modern steakhouse. The energy and atmosphere place it at the top of my "let's go to " list. Who's up for happy hour?
Grace
www.gracefortworth.com
777 Main Street, G200
Fort Worth, TX 76102
(817) 877-3388
Both the restaurant and the bar were buzzing last Wednesday night - only three days after opening. I, along with four colleagues, enjoyed cocktails on the comfortably chic patio that faces Main Street. There was a great selection of cocktails and I chose the pear martini ($12) which was fantastic! Made with Grey Goose pear vodka and topped with a splash of champagne, how could a girl go wrong! When we got hungry, we moved inside to sit in the bar because food is not served on the patio. We tried the kobe pigs in a blanket ($9), the sloppy joe sliders ($9) and the
eggplant and parmesan croquettes. Of the three, I preferred the kobe pigs in a blanket. Downtown Fort Worth has needed a chic, sophisticated destination for martinis or a glass of wine and now it has one. Think Sex and the City, baby!
I returned to Grace for dinner on Saturday night and once again, there was an energy felt when we arrived that I have not felt at other Fort Worth restaurants. Our server, Jaime, did a great job of explaining the menu and stressing that there were no rules. She made our dining experience seem adventurous rather than formal or stuffy. We started with a jumbo lump crab cake ($15). I appreciated that it was served with a whole grain mustard rather than remoulade sauce. Although we did not order the braised bacon appetizer ($10), I got to sample it and it was delicious. It was remarkably tender and flavorful.
Next, I enjoyed the lobster and roasted pumpkin bisque ($9) and my father enjoyed the organic chicken noodle soup ($7). Both were very good choices, especially in light of the chilly weather. FWJoey opted for a salad - the Iceberg “Wheel” ($8) - which was loaded with bleu cheese. If you love bleu cheese, this is the salad for you, but if you do not, skip it. FWJoey loved it and commented that the quality of the bleu cheese was something special.
For entrees, FWJoey had the 8oz filet ($29) topped with bleu cheese ($4) - yes, more bleu cheese! ARdad had the 8oz filet topped with cognac peppercorn sauce ($2) and I had the Meyer Ranch Natural Filet ($34) with espresso horseradish sauce ($2) served on the side. I sampled all the steaks and thought mine was the best because it seemed more flavorful. It was cooked exactly right and I savored every bite. I found that the horseradish sauce was unnecessary so it was hardly touched.
Our side items included the mac and cheese ($8) and the ricotta dumplings ($7). Though both were very good, the stand out were the dumplings. They were light, yet loaded with rich flavors that melted in your mouth. The mac and cheese was made with rotini noodles and a variety of white cheeses, topped with panko crumbs. It did not taste like your traditional mac and cheese, which is fine with me but may not satisfy some diners. For dessert, we shared the red velvet cake. The cake was firm, yet moist and the cream cheese filling was smooth perfection. What a great way to end a great meal.
I think Adam Jones has accomplished with Grace, what Tim Love hoped to accomplish with Duce which is an upscale, modern steakhouse. The energy and atmosphere place it at the top of my "let's go to " list. Who's up for happy hour?
Grace
www.gracefortworth.com
777 Main Street, G200
Fort Worth, TX 76102
(817) 877-3388
Comments:
<< Home
Pricey drinks: Chuck's scotch was $30 a glass and usually costs $145 a bottle. Made me feel like I was in Vegas. Loved the atmosphere, but disappointed in the appetizers. Maybe we should go for dinner sometime. I'm always up for second chances.
Post a Comment
<< Home
